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Proposed Inland Fisheries Regulations and
Discussion Item for 2006
Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) will be holding a series of public meetings to discuss and hear comments on proposed regulations being considered for inland fisheries for 2006. As a public service, to bring government to the people, we are providing these proposals online so that you may provide public comment in our online forum. The proposals and the discussion item are below. Please review them and then go to
Proposed Changes for 2006 Inland Fisheries Fishing Regulations to provide your comments via email.
Amend closure dates for Put-and-Take Trout Fishing Areas for 2006 and 2007:
| Closure
| 2006
| 2007
|
| 0
| No closure
| No closure
|
| 1
| March 5 to March 25
| March 11 to March 31
|
| 2
| March 19 to March 25
| March 25 to March 31
|
| 3
| April 9 to April 15
| April 15 to April 21
|
| 4
| April 16 to April 22
| April 22 to April 28
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Fishing Creek in Frederick County has two branches: the mainstem, or left fork of Fishing Creek above Fishing Creek Reservoir; and the right fork, Little Fishing Creek. Fishing Creek is stocked and managed above the junction of the two streams as a Put-and-Take Trout stream. Little Fishing Creek is not stocked and has a limit of two trout per day to protect native trout populations. This proposal modifies the description to more clearly define the Put-and-Take area that is stocked as the mainstem of Fishing Creek above the junction of the two forks.
Salisbury Park Pond (also known as Schumaker Pond) in Salisbury has a problem with Hydrilla and the lake is drawn down each winter to try to reduce the growth of the plants. As a result, the lake is too low to stock and inaccessible to anglers. The proposal is to move the Put-and-Take Trout Fishing area to Beaverdam Creek below Salisbury Park Pond to extend downstream to the bridge crossing at Memorial Plaza Road.
Several modifications to Beaver Creek management in Washington County are being proposed. The first action involves the expansion of the Catch and Return Trout Fishing Area, Flies Only, upstream to the north side of Interstate 70. This will modify the Put-and-Take Trout Fishing Areas to the area from Beaver Creek Road downstream to the confluence with Antietam Creek. The second action involves the management of the Beaver Creek mainstem above the newly expanded Catch and Return area (currently managed as Put-and-Take Trout fishing area). Two options are being considered. The first option allows the area to remain as a Put-and- Take stocked area, while the second option changes this section to statewide regulations of two trout-per-day.
A new park in Frederick County has made a new area on Middle Creek accessible to anglers. Fisheries proposes to expand the Put-and-Take Trout Fishing Area on Middle Creek in Frederick County from its confluence with Spruce Run downstream to the lower boundary of Doubs Park south of Route 40.
There is a proposal to add a section of the Patuxent River (Montgomery and Howard Counties) below Brighton Dam downstream to Mink Hollow Road, and the Hawlings River (Montgomery County) from Brighton Dam Road downstream to the Patuxent River to the list of Catch and Return Trout Fishing areas restricted to the use of artificial flies. The Inland Fisheries Division also plans to consider suggestions for alternative management scenarios for these two areas.
Include all ponds in Myrtle Grove Wildlife Management Area in Charles County on the list of Put-and-Take Trout Fishing areas.
Fisheries proposes to remove Principio Creek in Cecil County from the list of Put-and-Take Trout Fishing Areas. The area is entirely on private property and stocking and angler access is extremely limited.
Fisheries proposes to add a regulation to prohibit the culling of trout while fishing. Area managers have received numerous complaints about trout being killed in creel or on stringers as anglers grade their catch and discard previously landed fish.
There is a proposal to add the Snowy Creek mainstem in Garrett County to the list of Put-and-Take Trout Fishing Areas. Recent improvements resulting from acid mine drainage reduction have brought the stream to a restored condition suitable for management.
There is a proposal to remove Brownsville Pond in Washington County from the list of Put-and-Take Trout Fishing Areas and shift the trout from that area to Brunswick Pond (Frederick County), which will be managed as a two trout-per-day area. Brunswick Pond is close by and is larger and is in better condition.
Fisheries proposes to change the management of Gunpowder Falls in Baltimore County from Corbett Road downstream approximately 1.6 miles from a Put-and-Take Trout Fishing Area to statewide trout management with a two trout-per-day limit in order to protect existing wild trout populations. This section is remote, difficult to stock, and contains a nice native brown trout population.
The Inland Fisheries Division invites the public to attend to engage in a discussion of restrictions on fish and other organisms that can be used as live bait. Bait restrictions are being considered for the future to protect the fish resources of the State from damage by introduced and invasive species. Following input received from the public, this proposal will be discussed with the Sportfish Advisory Commission before a formal proposal is developed.
DNR Inland Fisheries Division management activities are supported by the Sportfish Restoration Program (Dingell-Johnson/Wallop-Breaux) funds, and by fees from the sale of freshwater fishing licenses and trout stamps.
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